WVCBP in the News

July 27, 2015 by Ted Boettner
Officials: W.Va. Unemployment Rate Highlights Need for Economic Diversity

Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram - With West Virginia recording the highest unemployment rate in the U.S. in June at 7.4 percent, the state is feeling the effects of a lack of economic diversity, according to officials. ReadSince June of last year, the state has seen major job losses in extractive industries (2,900), construction (4,300) and leisure and…

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July 25, 2015 by Sean O'Leary
Prevailing Wage Debate Continues Among WV Officials

The State Journal - These days, it can be hard to tell what's real and what's not. ReadThe Internet brings information to the average person as quickly as a question can be Google'd. So, how is it that West Virginia's lawmakers and officials aren't quite sure how, exactly, to come up with a calculation as…

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July 23, 2015 by Ted Boettner
W.Va. Dealing with ‘Transitioning Economy’ After Six-Month Rise in Unemployment

Charleston Gazette-Mail - In the past six months, unemployment in West Virginia has risen dramatically, according to survey data collected by Workforce West Virginia and the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. ReadAccording to the most recent numbers, around 57,500 — 7.4 percent — of West Virginia's residents that are seeking work find themselves without…

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July 12, 2015 by Ted Boettner
Data Offers Glimpse into Potential Impact of CO2 Rule on W.Va. Coal

Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram - Central Appalachian coal production is projected to decline with or without the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's power plants. ReadThat's according to an analysis conducted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)."Even in our reference case, we have Central Appalachian coal falling. The portion…

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July 8, 2015 by Ted Boettner
Utilities Seek to Change Gas and Electric Shutoff Policies

Charleston Gazette - What type of notification should electric and gas companies have to give to customers before they shut off their power and heat? ReadThat is the main question the state Public Service Commission will have to decide as part of an ongoing case, which advocates say could drastically affect the state's poor and…

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July 6, 2015 by Sean O'Leary
Contractors: Surveys Most Accurate Way to Set West Virginia Prevailing Wage

West Virginia Public News Service - West Virginia's prevailing wage should be determined using in-state surveys instead of federal estimates, according to some contractors. The wage law was changed this spring. ReadRepublican lawmakers say the state should now use Bureau of Labor Statistics figures to determine how much to pay construction workers on public projects.…

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July 4, 2015 by Sean O'Leary
WV Tax Incentives: Business Boon or Bust for County Coffers

Charleston Gazette - At least 13 companies in West Virginia pay reduced or possibly no property taxes because of a program in which the West Virginia Economic Development Authority purchases property and leases the land, buildings or equipment back to the businesses. ReadAccording to accounting records, the EDA owns more than $103 million in property…

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July 3, 2015 by Sean O'Leary
The Front Porch: Should We Keep the Prevailing Wage?

West Virginia Public Broadcasting - Should the government require wages over a certain level for taxpayer-funded construction projects? ListenIn West Virginia, some Republicans want to repeal the prevailing wage law altogether - like Laurie Lin of our podcast, "The Front Porch"In her Charleston Daily Mail column, she writes that the prevailing wage benefits a small…

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